


Hearthfire

by BlueEyedArcher



Series: Outlast One-Shots [40]
Category: Outlast (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dragons, Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Dragon!Waylon, Fairytales come true, Flowers, Fluff, Human!Eddie, M/M, One-Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-31
Updated: 2017-12-31
Packaged: 2019-02-25 22:48:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13222845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueEyedArcher/pseuds/BlueEyedArcher
Summary: Eddie's mother raised him on bedtime stories and fairytales. Stories about Dragons and magic, hope and love. Where true love conquers even the darkest of heart. Eddie never really believed in those stories until the day a client brings in a bouquet of exotic flowers he recognizes from his childhood. Only to find out the new flower shop down the street harbors a secret where those flowers come in abundance. His mother's words remind him that dragons walk among them if he chooses to open his heart and see for himself.





	Hearthfire

**Author's Note:**

> This was a spur of the moment idea that crossed my mind late at night after writing Moonlight Battlefield (A fantasy Outlast fic)
> 
> I really hope you guys enjoy this. Please let me know and I may do a follow up piece on Eddie and Waylon. Along with a piece diving into the Merfolk lore for Miles and Chris.

_“You see this flower Eddie?” A soft melodious voice cooed to the young raven haired boy in her lap. A slender gentle hand stroking through the disheveled messy dark locks of the youth, nestled against her chest with a big fat quilt wrapped around his shoulders. It was late in the evening and the woman was telling her son fairytales and bedtime stories. Tonight’s were a little different as she plucked a small vase from the spot beside the bed. She had brought home the most lovely flower the little boy has ever seen in all his life. It had deep vibrant reds and oranges swirling across the softest and most fragile looking petals. The petals themselves were very large as was customary for a lily to be, but it shimmered with a warm glow all on its own as if a fire was held in it’s blossoms. “There are two different types of flowers like this, one that is blue and glows with moonlight in it’s folds, it floats atop the water and belongs to the song of the merfolk.” She showed him a book with pictures of beautiful merfolk swimming in pristine blue waters and the flowers bobbing along the surface with the waves, their delicate blue glow cast in oil paintings. “This one grows on land, near the heartfire of a dragon. When you see many of them, know a dragon is close by.”_

 

_“But momma, a dragon is big and scary.” The little blue eyed boy piped up from his sleepy state. His eyes wide as he gestured to an imagined size._

 

_“Yes my little prince, but they can also look like you or me. They can hide their true selves and walk among people. These flowers are their symbol. They grow and are nourished by the love in a dragon’s heart. Curling towards the warmth they harbor in their chest.” She caressed her son’s cheek, smiling softly at him. “If you ever find a dragon my prince, do not slay it. Treat it kindly and you will know true love.”_

  


 

 

Eddie rubbed at his eyes when that sudden memory rose up in his thoughts. It had been so long since he last thought of that story and all the fairytales his mother told him. Stories of heroic deeds and kindness in even the most darkest places. Where monsters were just people too and there was no danger in their presence. Where dragons could teach about love and merfolk would care for and guide the lost. It was nothing like the pop culture icons of supernatural creatures he’s seen these days. Everyone was a monster, even the good guys. He shook his head, trying to refocus on his work, his fingers still poised over the swatches of fabric he was working together to form a custom belt designed for his newest gown piece. He was hoping to have it finished before the next appointment arrived. To his dismay, they showed up twenty minutes early for their appointment and carrying what seemed to be a bouquet of flowers. It was a pair of women, one much older than the other. The mother of the bride, presumably.

 

“Good morning ladies. How may I help you today?” He greeted them politely as they sat down for the consultation and design appointment. The bride had spoken to him earlier that week about doing a customized traditional style gown and wanted to come in and talk over the details and price range. He pulled out his planner and opened up the tagged page to show all the things they had spoken of over the phone but the young bride stopped him before he could start speaking.

 

“I was hoping we could change the design up a bit.” She spoke with a giddy excitement, holding the bouquet in her arms carefully. Parchment paper was formed around the flowers to protect them from being bumped or damaged, also preventing Eddie’s view from seeing them. “I wanted to know if you could design a dress inspired by this?”

 

“Okay then. That sounds easy enough.” He had done several dresses before with rose and lotus themes. He’s done sunflower themes and lilacs. Most of them are for the flower girls but it wasn’t uncommon for a bride to request it for her dress. He sat up a bit to look at the flowers as she placed them on the table. His eyes widened when he saw a very familiar lily. It’s petals held a mysterious warm glow to them with swirls like firelight dancing in a hearth. “Wh-where did you get these?” He asked, his composed expression crumbled into disbelief for a brief moment. The bride didn’t seem to mind as she proceeded to preen over the gorgeous flowers.

 

“There’s a new floral shop down the street that just opened a week ago. A very adorable young man runs it and there are so many exotic and beautiful flowers there. Like none I’ve ever seen before.” She grinned. “Aren’t they marvelous? I’m going to rework the whole theme of my wedding around them.” She cooed and stroked the glowing petals lovingly. Her mother didn’t seem at all fazed either, entranced by the beauty of the flowers and equally as delighted.

 

The appointment went rather quickly for the rest of the hour and he created several different types of sketches before they decided on a bodice style that worked. Eddie couldn’t get a hold of fabric dyed in the myriad of colors the bride wanted but he did inform her that he could overlap the layers so it almost looked like the flower blossoms with the petals overlapping to form a smooth and curving texture around her torso that added a very slimming feature to her frame. He closed up shop early that night since he had no more appointments and decided to make a brief stop at the floral shop on the way home. It was much like his bridal shop, a small hole in the wall type of place situated between two other establishments. A bakery was beside the shop which brought more people in to see the flowers when they’d stop for pastries. On the other side was an alley that looped around back behind the shops for delivery purposes.

 

The front was plainly decorated, bright coloring from fresh paint on the exterior but that was about it. The real draw in was the flowers sitting in the large glass display windows. Baskets and boxes filled to the brim with healthy beautiful plants. Not just flowers either, there were herb boxes, plants for fairy gardens and other varieties for small apartment living such as bamboo plants and bonsai trees. The door opened with a soft chime that ghosted on the quiet air. There was a trickling fountain with aquatic plants growing within for aquariums or aquatic themed terrariums. The soft trickling fountain sounds were soothing but the place itself was pleasantly warm though there didn’t seem to be a heater running at all.

 

He gazed around at the offered plants, searching for the lilies he had seen earlier but couldn’t seem to find any on display. “Welcome! Can I help you with anything sir?” A soft polite voice piped up, drawing Eddie’s blue eyed gaze towards the source. A young male with bright golden locks falling into his face walked out of the backroom of the building. He wore a pair of comfortable jeans and had a mossy green sweater on with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He had a neat and charming appearance, his long golden locks were drawn back in hair clips to stay out of his face but one seemed to be slipping free of is place. His pale blue eyes were like gems nestled into his fair features. A wide welcoming smile graced soft lips and appeared to be very genuine. In his arms was a flower box full of the strange looking lilies. They were very large and seemed to burn so much brighter in his presence. The blossoms on the flowers were all turned towards the male holding them as if directing themselves at the sun. Only they were aimed at his chest.

 

“Sir?” The voice piped up again, a small bit of concern as Eddie failed to answer.

 

It took the tailor a minute to catch himself and prevent from staring as he cleared his throat. Turning his gaze towards the other flowers in the room, but his eyes kept wandering back to those lilies. “Uh, yes. Er- I mean no. Excuse me.” He breathed a soft sigh. “I own the bridal shop down the street and one of my clients brought in a bouquet of those flowers. She told me you sold them here. I thought I would come and take a peek at some of the plants you sell and hoped I could purchase one.” He explained. “My client wanted me to design a dress inspired by that flower so I was hoping for a bit of inspiration.” He rubbed at the back of his neck sheepishly as his eyes shifted from the bright blue gaze to the warmth of the flower’s petals.

 

“Oh, certainly. I was just getting ready to set these out for purchase. They’ve been selling so quickly.” The male waved his hand in the air nonchalantly and carried the flower box to the checkout desk. Behind it was a work table where the blonde would put together beautiful arrays of flowers into lustrous bouquets for special occasions. “My name is Waylon by the way.” He introduce himself while he did some final inspecting of the flowers.

 

“You can call me Eddie.” The larger male spoke. The blonde was much smaller than him but then again, most people were. Where Waylon’s frame was slender and dainty, Eddie’s was tall and powerful. His shoulders were the broadest part about him but he wasn’t all muscle. He still retained a gentlemanly figure, slim but capable. His uniform reflected that well. Where Waylon’s was comfortable and casual, Eddie’s was crisp and professional with the vest and button up, the bow tie resting at the base of his throat.

 

“Would you like it cut or planted?”Waylon spoke up, looking at Eddie expectantly. Holding up two different kinds of containers. A crystal vase for water or a clay pot for soil.

 

“Planted I think. Whichever will let it live the longest.” Waylon nodded in understanding and pulled on a pair of work gloves while he shimmied one of the lilies out of the floral box with practiced ease before placing it into the pot.

 

He packed a little more soil around the base before removing the gloves and placing the pot onto the counter for check out. “Alright then. One Heartfire lily. Be cure to give it a drink of water when you get home and one every two days until the soil is moist and spongy when you press it.” He informed while he rang up the price which was pretty decent as far as a normal lily would go. Eddie was surprised given this one was an exotic but didn’t speak up on it. ‘Would that be all for you?” Waylon asked as Eddie paid. The blonde held the pot out for the larger male to take, just as their fingers overlapped on the pot, the lily released a sweet scent from it’s center, the glowing hue that accompanied the strange color increased. The sweet scent permeated the room and startled Eddie.

 

Waylon on the other hand had a red flush rising on his face as he released the pot to Eddie’s hold and turned back to his flower box. Dipping his head as he spoke quickly. “Have a good night sir.” He gathered up the box in his arms, turned away, Eddie couldn’t help but stare as the lighting reflected just right on Waylon’s features. A golden shimmer radiated around his face and neck. A pattern rising on his skin for a brief moment that Eddie could have sworn appeared to be scales. He didn’t get a chance to investigate further as the male rushed into the back of the shop.

 

Eddie was left to his own thoughts as he departed the shop and drove the short distance to his apartment. It was only a couple streets over and on the third floor, meaning he had the upper balcony. He set the flower out on the windowsill so it would get the sunlight that follows the mornings and gave it a brief drink, following the instructions provided him. He took a seat at his desk beneath it and stared down at the design planner for the gown he was contracted for, instead his gaze wandered the room. His home was a very basic apartment with a single bedroom with a master bathroom. Open floor plan for kitchen/living room and dining room. The living room was turned into his office where he would work at his desk on new designs of small projects he’d take home to fiddle with in his free time and during late nights where sleep eluded him.

 

Tonight sleep and concentration had failed him. His thoughts returning to the flower above him in the windowsill. It’s delicate warm glow appeared to pulse slowly as night neared to darkness. The petals were closing up for the evening but the sweet scent continued to linger on the air. His thoughts danced around what he had seen, the golden hue of scales across such fair skin. His mother’s words echoing in the back of his mind once more. Her voice so sweet and sincere as she warned him for the future, as if she knew this meeting would be inevitable for him. _“If you ever find a dragon my prince, do not slay it. Treat it kindly and you will know true love.”_

 

He could only hope they were right.

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave a comment down below on what you think. 
> 
> If you like it and want a follow up on this one, let me know. Or if you want a merfolk one with Chris and Miles next.


End file.
